Team News

Artis Named to NCBWA Freshman All-American Team

D.J. Artis has been named to the 2016 NCBWA Freshman All-American team.

Liberty freshman outfielder D.J. Artis has been selected to the 2016 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Freshman All-American Team, the organization announced today. The team is selected by a vote of the NCBWA's membership, which includes writers, broadcasters and publicists of the college baseball.

It is the second Freshman All-American team honor for the outfielder. Artis was selected to the 2016 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team, selected by the Collegiate Baseball newspaper, this past Wednesday.

Artis also earned Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I All-Star team honors. The outfielder was voted to the squad's second team by representatives from ECAC Division I member institutions.

Artis was named the 2016 Big South Freshman of the Year and to the All-Conference first team. The outfielder became the fifth Flame to be selected the conference's Freshman of the Year. He joined pitcher Tim Harrell (1995), outfielder Keith Butler (2000), first baseman Alex Close (2012) and pitcher Parker Bean (2014), as Flames who have received the conference honor.

Artis led the Big South Conference and finished the year 13th in the nation with a .500 on base percentage. The outfielder is also among the top 15 in the country and second in the conference with 52 bases on balls. His 52 walks set a new Liberty single season record, eclipsing the former record of 49 walks set by Jeff Edwards in 1986.

The Greensboro, N.C., native ended 2016 among the conference leaders in batting average (fourth - .369), hits (sixth - 82), runs scored (fifth - 54), and stolen bases (third - 23). He also completed the year with nine doubles, three triples, two home runs and 41 RBI.

Artis led Liberty with 30 multiple-hit games and reached base for a team-high 23 straight contests. The Flames' leadoff hitter, the freshman reached base in 54 out of Liberty's 59 games this season.